2019 Annual Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ENDING EXTREME POVERTY WHATEVER IT TAKES Concern Worldwide US Annual Report 2019 Concern Worldwide US Annual Report 2019 4 Who We Are and What We Do 6 Where We Work 10 Our Programs 36 By The Numbers Ethiopia Cover Photo: Mestawat Sorsa, farmer and mother, SNNPR region, Ethiopia. Photo: Kieran McConville, Concern Worldwide Contents Émanise, Haiti Émanise is 16 years old and lives with her sister Alphonse, a brother-in-law, a nephew, and a niece in a small tin house at the end of a narrow alleyway in the heart of Cité Soleil. She lost her mother in 2016 and since then Alphonse and her husband have supported the family. Émanise is repeating 4th grade in school, having failed the tests to progress further. Alphonse says the family does not have enough money to buy books and this was the reason why Émanise did not do so well in school. She has however successfully completed a tailoring course run by Concern. “I attended the course every day after school and on Saturdays and Sundays, and really enjoyed it,” she says “I was always interested in sewing and tailoring,” she adds, adding that she would love to take that interest further when she completes school. “I would love to design and make jumpsuits.” As part of the course, the students each made an item of clothing — Émanise created a beautiful classic pleated dress in lime green, which she proudly models and wears on special occasions. Photo: Kieran McConville/ Concern Worldwide A Message from the Chief Executive Officer and the Chair, Board of Directors 3 — Concern Worldwide Who We Are and What We Do 4 Where We Work 6 — Our Programs 10 Emergency Programs 12 Livelihoods Programs 14 Health and Nutrition Programs 16 Education Programs 18 Integrated Programs 20 — How We Work 24 US Government Partnership 27 CMAM at 20 28 Our Supporters 30 Concern by the Numbers 36 US Board of Directors 37 — Features Cyclone Idai 8 Climate-Smart Agriculture 22 A Game Changing Year 32 COVID-19 Pandemic 34 1 Mwanisha, Malawi Mwanisha Mbera, mother of 3, tends a cooking fire at the family home in Mangochi, Malawi. The family is taking part in Concern’s graduation program. Photo: Kieran McConville / Concern Worldwide 2 A Message from the Chief Executive Officer and the Chair, Board of Directors In 2019, the year we report on here, we are proud to share nutrition, education, livelihoods, and climate resilience. One that with the help of our global community of supporters and example of that commitment is our work in Climate-Smart partners, our teams across 24 countries of operation, and our Agriculture. We have reached 569,000 smallholder farmers offices in Ireland, the UK, South Korea, and the US worked across 19 countries, tripling crop yields in some places, and together to increase the number of people reached to 28.6 significantly reducing labor time, especially for women. million. And we reached new heights in funds raised – more than $200 million worldwide, including nearly $50 million in the US. We couldn’t do any of it without partners. Our donors are of course our primary partners, but we also work As always, we were laser-focused on efficiency and with hundreds of local civil society organizations and impact. In the US we increased the portion of funds other international NGOs, several academic institutions, supporting our programs on the ground from 90% to 93%. foundations, and US Government agencies, such as the We are committed to returning the faith and trust our Bureaus of Humanitarian Affairs and Population, Refugees, donors place in us with the highest levels of stewardship and Migration. We are also actively strengthening our and accountability. corporate partnerships. In 2019, we launched a new initiative with Archer Daniels Midland Company’s ADM Concern Worldwide is an organization born of humanitarian Cares division. The Lifesaving Education and Assistance to response, and 2019 was a year of unprecedented, urgent Farmers (LEAF) Project will provide immediate and longer- need. Some 70 million people remained displaced in 2019. term responses to chronic malnutrition and hunger for One out of every 57 people in the world was in need of people living in extreme poverty in Kenya and Ethiopia. humanitarian assistance. The combined forces of conflict, climate, and cyclical hunger called us to respond from our As we write, in Summer 2020, we are witnessing a vast experience and in new, innovative ways. historic grassroots push for racial equity and justice. As an American organization, the inspiration we take is sustained In all, the 82 emergencies we responded to last year were by the knowledge that our Irish founders’ herculean effort up from 66 in 2018, a reflection of a world in increasing to work with Biafrans to reach famine-stricken Biafra was turmoil. We’ll share just a couple of examples here very much rooted in a spirit of defiance against those who did not equally value Black lives. In March, Cyclone Idai hit Southern Africa with devastating force. In Malawi, nearly one million people were affected. Additionally, our nation, and the world, are in the grips of the Fortunately, our team there is extremely agile and COVID-19 pandemic. While it seems infection and mortality experienced, and quickly mounted a comprehensive rates in our countries of operation are not as high as they response that included food distributions to 2,500 have been in the world’s wealthier countries, a great threat households, seeds and tools to 7,500 households and cash remains, not only of deadly outbreaks but also of ripple transfers to 8,120 families. Our vital recovery efforts over effects, such as hunger caused by interrupted supply chains, the months that followed helped thousands get back on depleted markets, failed crops, and reduced aid. With the their feet, as you’ll see later in this report. support of our donors, our teams will not take a single step back in our support to the people who most need our help. More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees continue to struggle for survival – in silence, to most of the world – in the camps In these pages you will find both inspiration and around Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. When we visited last reassurance that your support matters. Thank you for summer, we found a team there working around the clock continuing to stand with us. Thank you for standing with on multiple fronts and leading the way in the treatment of the people you will meet in this report: Mwanisha and malnutrition. This included screening and treating children Patrick in Malawi, Emanise in Haiti, Faduma in South and vulnerable older people, achieving cure rates of above Sudan, Attir in Kenya, and Joana in Mozambique. 80%. They also taught over 5,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and caregivers about nutrition and personal Thank you for your investing in people like them – and hygiene, running more than 400 cooking demonstrations for millions more – in 2020 and beyond. approximately 12,700 caregivers, and distributing seeds and fertilizer to over 2,100 households for home gardening. The trust of our supporters empowers our teams to do this work. We will continue to partner with remote and vulnerable communities in places like Malawi for as long as we are needed. We will stand with people like the Rohingya until they are able to find safety and stability. Of course, our efforts don’t stop there. Ending extreme poverty requires a long-term commitment to sustainable Colleen Kelly Joanna Geraghty change. We’re doing that work in the areas of health, Chief Executive Officer Chair, Board of Directors. 3 Concern Worldwide US Annual Report 2019 Concern Worldwide Who We Are and What We Do Concern Worldwide is a non- Our Core Values governmental, international, These are built on our history and the voluntary, humanitarian organization compassionate commitment of Concern’s founders: dedicated to the reduction We focus on extreme poverty: We are driven by a clear focus on eliminating poverty in the most vulnerable of suffering and the ultimate places and responding to humanitarian crises. elimination of extreme poverty We believe in equality: People are equal in rights in the world’s poorest countries. and must be treated with respect and dignity. We listen: Listening and partnership are key to empowering the poorest and most vulnerable to Our Vision for Change transform their own lives. We believe in a world where no one lives in poverty, We respond rapidly: People affected by disasters are fear or oppression; where all have access to a decent entitled to have their most basic needs met through standard of living and the opportunities and choices rapid, effective and principled responses. essential to a long, healthy and creative life; a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We are courageous: Taking necessary risks, balanced with sound judgement, allows us to work in the most Our Mission – What We Do challenging contexts. Our mission is to help people living in extreme poverty We are committed: We go the extra mile to support achieve major improvements in their lives which last communities in times of need and in the face of very and spread without ongoing support from Concern. difficult operating environments. To achieve this mission, we engage in long-term We are innovative: Finding effective solutions requires development work, build resilience, respond to innovative thinking combined with a pragmatic approach. emergency situations, and seek to address the root causes of poverty through our development education We are accountable: Accountability and transparency and advocacy work. are central to all of our actions and use of resources.